This Jan. 1, drivers who use diesel or gas and homeowners who rely on natural gas won’t be the only ones paying more as a result of Alberta’s new carbon levy. Rural Albertans who heat their homes and businesses with coal will feel the burn too.

Right now they pay $42 per tonne for coal. A carbon levy will tack on an additional $35.39 per tonne in 2017.

Coal customers are seizing the opportunity to stock up. Many in central Alberta are making repeat trips to Dodds Coal Mine east of Camrose.

“We’ve sold more coal in the last month than we typically do in two to three months,” said Carlene Wetthuhn, the mine’s office manager.

“A lot of our customers don’t have a natural gas line in place or they don’t have the option of burning natural gas without spending thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars to convert…they’re not in the financial position to be able to do that.”